A challenging race in many aspects! Thursday noon saw over 30 boats on a bumpy start line outside Bonifacio, ready for the 245 mile course, which was simply Corsica to starboard. The night before, the skippers voted unanimously for this clockwise direction. We picked our way through the start and kept inshore in clear air to the first turn then settled into the long legs. As the wind built and the course changed we went through all the sails and various reefs, the crew were kept busy. The forecast gale arrived and we battled on through the night to reach the top of the island, and the famous Giraglia Rock and its lighthouse. Through the night we had dealt with calms and a full gale, big seas making driving, sleeping and cooking a challenge. The cook for the evening not only provided a wonderful meal of chili, but also decorated the inside of the boat with it. Now around Cap Corse the gale along the east coast started, but again long periods of calm, gusts to 40kts, and 2-3m swells, meant lots of sail changes. Well down the coast now, another meal (thanks Gill) was consumed as dark fell. Threatening skies all round, lightning in the mountains, katabatic gusts and dire radio warnings kept us on edge, but the full gale never arrived and on we went tacking along the shoreline to search for easier waves. Then late at night down comes the mainsail with crew checking the winch and clutch to see if any had been let go – no the halyard had parted at the top. We weren’t able to control the boat under jib alone, and it wasn’t going to be possible to climb the mast in the conditions, so no choice but to retire from the race and turn on the motor. After informing the race committee and families, we settled into a slow motor along the coast to arrive off Porto Vecchio at dawn. Another gale was forecast for the southern waters so we decided to deal with that in daylight as the navigation would be a little tricky going between a cluster of islands and rocks. The crew have had a great race, champagne sailing – blast reaching along a stunning coastline, but are understandably disappointed not to sail the final section. We think we were at least in the top half when we retired, so were doing well. Now in daylight motoring along the coast having tea and coffee so all is good. Shower and beer in Bonifacio awaits! Then someone is climbing the mast…